Episode Summary

Vorenus receives orders to plunge Rome into a bloodbath the likes that have not been seen since the dictatorship of Sulla. Octavia reveals her secret to Atia, and the armies of the Liberators and the Caesarians clash for the last time, with the fate of Republic in the balance.moreless

Philippi

Philippi was a superb and entertaining episode of Rome and I enjoyed watching though I wish it would have shown more of the gangs taking out the prominent citizens on the lists given to them, and more depth in other scenes as well. It was funny how obvious it was that Agrippa and Octavia were together as they were both late and out of breath. I also thought it was funny how nonchalant Mark Antony was over what was happening on the battle field, as he had no idea, showing how some men waste lives of others on a whim. I thought the ending was great. I look forward to watching the next episode!!!!!!!moreless

Cinnamon makes me sneeze?

Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus died on different days; both by suicide. I don’t know what Cassius said to Brutus before the first battle, but one’s imagination is soiled by the thought their last conversation turned on a matter as trivial as birthday cake. I can only guess the screenwriters were having a joke on the illiterate audience. Birthday cake is a modern custom, much like televised historical fabrications. “Let’s have some fun?” Does anyone really believe Mark Anthony uttered those childish words? How can the purveyors of this soap opera market this nonsense as historical drama? The long list of deliberate historical errors transforms this fantasy to the level of a Saturday morning cartoon. Anthony and Gaius did not watch the battle together. Cicero was decapitated, not stabbed in the neck. His head and hands were displayed in the forum, not nailed to the Senate door, so on and so on and so on. The image of a Roman solider collecting ripe peaches before he murders Cicero is painfully funny. One last detail, the Romans did not have stirrups on their saddles. This show reminds me of the fractured fairy tales in Rocky and Bullwinkle. The writers must be rolling on the floor, their bellies knotted with laughter.moreless

Bloody episode!!!

I enjoyed a lot this episode especially its finish...the war scene, i found amazing...I see that HBO is very good at creating violent scenes...at least in "The Sopranos" and "Rome", they did it very well...Also, the scene where Cicero gets killed i liked it, not because it was violent, but because i like the way Cicero behaved...embracing death instead of fleeing...Brutus also behaved wonderful, dying a hero's death, and being stabbed just as he did with Caesar...What i don't understand is why didn't Octavian had any part in the decisions on the war front...Only Anthony decided and succeeded, maybe too easily...kind of a simplest vision on behalf of the writers.moreless

This was by far the best episode of both series of Rome. Tobias Menzies and David Bamber were outstanding and made this episode for me.

What a splendid series this has been. I've never enjoyed a series quite as much and doubt anything will be able to top it. The producers should be applauded for keeping such a tight reign over it (however expensive it was). The directors worked seamlessly together and you never felt you were watching episodes directed by different people.

The actors have been astounding and some scenes I will never forget. Phlippi was my favoruite episode. David Bamber's death as Cicero was very emotional and beautifully performed and my absolute favourite has been Tobias Menzies as Brutus who was in my view was the hero of the piece. I felt very involved in his journey and his final scenes made me cry and cry. He is a wonderful actor and gave a skilled, subtle performance. I hope he gets an Emmy nomination for best supporting actor.moreless

This is why this series ROCKS!

I thought there was no way to keep the momentum going on this show once we got to the death of Caesar, but how wrong I was!

I'm sure it's been said before but Pullo and Vorenus are totally the Artoo and Threepio of this show and it is so very entertaining to watch them get themselves caught up in the historic events of the times - especially in this episode, where Pullo is the one who delivers Cicero's hands to the doors of the senate!Interesting to see Octavia and Agrippa getting along so well. I always thought he was twice her age and she didn't warm to him until well after they'd had kids but I could be wrong... Either way it makes for an interesting arc for her character and makes him slightly less dull...CAN'T WAIT for the next episode in this series - EVERY TIME!moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (1)

Historically, in addition to his hands, Cicero's head was also nailed to the rostrum, and pins and nails were stabbed through his tongue, as a symbolic gesture of the great orator being silenced forever.

Octavian, Mark Anthony and their generals are observing the battle of Philippi from the backlinesOctavian: What is happening, do you know?Mark Anthony: No idea... (Throws his snack on the ground, draws his swords and shouts to his personal guards) On my command, follow me! Octavian: Where are you going?Mark Anthony: When in doubt... ATTACK! (Charge)

Octavian: Here is a list of the most prominent supporters of Brutus and Cassius left in Rome. We should... kill them... before they learn what we're about.Mark Anthony: You ARE a ferocious little cunt... with a pen.

Philippi is the sixth episode of the second season of the television series Rome.

Philippi was also a city in Macedonia (in what is now modern Greece) where the two battles of Philippi took place. The town was abandoned in the 14th century after the Ottoman conquest. The present municipality Filippoi is located near the ruins.

ALLUSIONS (1)

Brutus and Cassius committed suicide; they were not killed as shown in this episode. Brutus's body was cremated and Antony showed respect for him, sending his remains with military honors back to Rome; however, Marcus Porcius Cato (II), the son of Cato the Younger, was reportedly killed at Philippi in a manner similar to the way Brutus's death is portrayed in the episode.

Marcus Tullius Cicero tried to get to Greece and unite with Brutus, but during his flight one of his slaves betrayed him to his pursuers, leading to his decapitation at the hands of men who hated (and were not indifferent to) him.

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